The Hong Islands of Thailand

To see some of the most beautiful landmarks of Southeast Asia, a trip south to the Hong Islands is an imperative part of any traveler’s agenda for those wanting to really see the best nature Thailand has to offer.

Surrounded by the stunning Andaman Sea, the islands contain sky-high rock formations and cliffs from limestone, untouched rainforest and all the white sandy beach you would come to expect in coastal Thailand. With the ease of booking one of several available tours from Bangkok, or any other tourism destination, visitors can ride a longtail or speed boat from Krabi and enjoy a number of activities including snorkeling or kayaking.

View of the Hong Islands. Photo courtesy of edwin.11 via Flickr.

Located about 30 minutes away from Ao Nang in the Phranga Bay, a day tour at the Hong Islands provides not just an opportunity to take a swim in the lovely aqua-colored waters, but also will often take you to a small local village, where you can enjoy a locally prepared lunch and even feed some of the marine life residing the shallow waters.

If you are looking for more of a private excursion of the Hong Islands, many tour agents will also let you rent out private boats. You would have to incur an extra national park fee of about $7 for the captain and you would not get the lunch, but a private tour gets you an able captain who will stop where you like and get you to the site of excellent cave diving nearby, an excursion that comes highly recommended.